Cold / Winter Starting Issue
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Joined: Mar 2018
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From: Lindsey Suffolk England
Cold / Winter Starting Issue
Hi, I have always found my truck difficult to start when it has been left for a week or two. The 8BA runs twin Stromberg 97's, with a choke operating on the rear carb. I have an electric fuel pump fitted. My routine is to switch the ignition on then wait 10 seconds or so until the pump stops ticking. I give it full choke and pump the throttle 3 or 4 times. On cranking the motor generally fires immediately, but I always have to pump the throttle numerous times. Eventually after numerous attempts it will start. The accelerator rods are connected to the winter position. Is this a common issue maybe ?.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: NM
I notice about the same thing with mine (which also has electric pump). I think the carb is not really full of gas when the pump ticking becomes inaudible. If I just let it run longer I don't have the die-off after initial start.
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From: Lindsey Suffolk England
Hi Ross, hope you are well. Long time no speak. Maybe it is just something as simple as that. Next time I go to start it I will try leaving it longer before I crank the motor. It is worth a try. The truck also has electronic ignition...I read on one post that with electronic ignition, the plug gaps should be set wider...what's your thoughts on that. Re the summer winter settings on the Strombergs, do people change their settings with the seasons ? To be honest, until a couple of days ago I did not realize you could change these settings.
Fleet Owner
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From: NM
I first put an MSD ready-to-run integrated electronic ignition on my truck about 14 years ago. I bumped the plug gaps up to .035", and drove it that way for many years. But I read on a flathead site that ideal plug gap was more determined by engine type, combustion chamber shape, etc. and they recommended sticking with the .025" on Ford flatheads. I re-gapped mine to stock, have noticed no difference in performance.
I will say, when I was using the wider gap, which increases the voltage at which the plug fires, my coil burned out. This was after 6 - 7 yrs running the larger gaps. I've been running the same coil type/brand for another 7 yrs now without incident with the smaller gaps. Since there's no difference in performance that I can detect, and the smaller gaps reduce the strain on the ignition system, I'm sticking with .025".
When I was running Holley 94's (which also have the 3-positions on the accelerator pump) I ran it in the middle hole year-round. With twin carbs, I would think you could cut back on yours.
I will say, when I was using the wider gap, which increases the voltage at which the plug fires, my coil burned out. This was after 6 - 7 yrs running the larger gaps. I've been running the same coil type/brand for another 7 yrs now without incident with the smaller gaps. Since there's no difference in performance that I can detect, and the smaller gaps reduce the strain on the ignition system, I'm sticking with .025".
When I was running Holley 94's (which also have the 3-positions on the accelerator pump) I ran it in the middle hole year-round. With twin carbs, I would think you could cut back on yours.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Burbank, WA
How cold is winter at your house? What is your temperature when you're starting your truck cold? Does it act differently in the warmer months? Where these trucks were designed to operate, cold or winter setting could be for a well below 0F temperature operation. That's like a -18C or colder to you.
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Senior User
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From: Lindsey Suffolk England
I first put an MSD ready-to-run integrated electronic ignition on my truck about 14 years ago. I bumped the plug gaps up to .035", and drove it that way for many years. But I read on a flathead site that ideal plug gap was more determined by engine type, combustion chamber shape, etc. and they recommended sticking with the .025" on Ford flatheads. I re-gapped mine to stock, have noticed no difference in performance.
I will say, when I was using the wider gap, which increases the voltage at which the plug fires, my coil burned out. This was after 6 - 7 yrs running the larger gaps. I've been running the same coil type/brand for another 7 yrs now without incident with the smaller gaps. Since there's no difference in performance that I can detect, and the smaller gaps reduce the strain on the ignition system, I'm sticking with .025".
When I was running Holley 94's (which also have the 3-positions on the accelerator pump) I ran it in the middle hole year-round. With twin carbs, I would think you could cut back on yours.
I will say, when I was using the wider gap, which increases the voltage at which the plug fires, my coil burned out. This was after 6 - 7 yrs running the larger gaps. I've been running the same coil type/brand for another 7 yrs now without incident with the smaller gaps. Since there's no difference in performance that I can detect, and the smaller gaps reduce the strain on the ignition system, I'm sticking with .025".
When I was running Holley 94's (which also have the 3-positions on the accelerator pump) I ran it in the middle hole year-round. With twin carbs, I would think you could cut back on yours.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2018
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From: Lindsey Suffolk England
How cold is winter at your house? What is your temperature when you're starting your truck cold? Does it act differently in the warmer months? Where these trucks were designed to operate, cold or winter setting could be for a well below 0F temperature operation. That's like a -18C or colder to you.
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Fleet Owner
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From: Central PA
I know England and much of Europe is getting hit with storms. I watched the Liverpool at Norwich game today and the wind blew the ball away as the GK was preparing to take the goal kick. But you don't get the cold temps we get here in the states. In PA we've had a mild winter but last night it got to 10°F.
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From: Lindsey Suffolk England
You quite right about our weather at the moment. This is our second consecutive weekend of severe wind and rain. The weather temperature as I write (9,20 Sunday morning) is 10 C. This is actually milder than it should be for this time of year. If anybody out there is interested out there we live just a couple of miles from one of the most beautiful medieval villages called Kersey in the county of Suffolk. Worth a google to get some images maybe. Once again I am indebted to this fantastic forum to seek help and advice to keep the old truck running. BTW...checked the manual and it gives a plug gap between 25 to 28 thou. Not sure where I got 30 thou from. I actually gapped them at 32, after reading somewhere that a larger gap was better with electronic ignition. Going to take plugs out and put them down to 25
All the Best
Suffolkman
All the Best
Suffolkman
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From: Lindsey Suffolk England
Update,,,Went out to garage today and re gapped the plugs to .025". Then turned on the ignition and let the fuel pump run on for a good twenty seconds or so (twice as long as I have been doing). When I cranked the engine....wow, it burst in to life first go !. So maybe, all along I just have not been letting the pump run on sufficiently enough to fill the carbs. Mind you, it has only been four days since the engine was last running. Also, the temperature here today is mild (around 7 C). But I do feel Ross was right...just need to let the fuel pump run on longer.
Suffolkman
Suffolkman
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From: Lindsey Suffolk England
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